Quick detachable latching electrical connector



Sept. 26, 1950 H, E N 2,523,905

QUICK DETACHABLE LATCHIIfI Q E-LECTRICAL CONNECTOR Filed Jan. 29, 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 7a 77 I 7a IN V EN TOR.

JAMES S. 1 HE LLEN Sept. 26, 1950 J. 5. HELLEN 2,

QUICK DETACHABLE LATCHING ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR Filed Jan. 29, 41949 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. JAMES S. HELLEN Filed Jan I 29, 1949 Sept. 26, 1950 ,1. s. HELLEN QUICK DETACHA BLE LATCHING ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR. JAMES- s. HELLEN BYJFQ M -mit disconnecting the connector.

Patented Sept. 26, 1950 UNITED STATES PAT ENT OFFICE QUICK DETACHABLEILATGHING ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR James S. Hcllen, Locust Valley, N. .'Y.,assi gri0r'to Specialties, Inc., Syosset, N. Y.

Application January 29, 1949, :Serial-.No. 7:3-,5'Z6

3 Claims. (cilia-'32s) This invention relates to electrical-connectors of the type having a plurality of pins on the header orplug section and a plurality of sockets on the socket section adapted to receive said pins in order to establish electrical connection from a component or unit connected with said pins and a source of electric energy.

Under-some conditions it is desirable to lock the header and socket sections together whenin "fullyengaged position withsome means for providing a ready unlocking of the sections to per- Heretofore locking means have been provided of various forms but in the aviation industry broadly. and

the-field of electrical control systems for aircraft especially, as wellasin other related fields, such .proposals have resulted in heavy and bulky connectors. Decrease both in Weight and in bulk are necessary with respect to connectors of this type,

for such uses. v

Furthermore, a positive and rapid lockingand easy, rapid disconnect or unlocking are highly desirable features for such connectors, particularlybearing'in mind that a large number of connectors may be used in a single airplane or other similar installation.

Accordingly, it is a principle object of the present invention to provide-a novel and improved electrical connector of the type described havinga "positive and rapid locking action and a rapid, easy unlocking or disconnecting action.

In such connectors it is also desirable to have means to hold the wires withinthe bodytliereof tightly but without injury thereto, so that any pull .onthe wires will not be transmittedtojthe .ends thereof which are soldered or otherwise conductively attached to the lugs orterminalscommunicating with the sockets.

It is accordingly a further principle object of the present invention to provide, in'a connector of the type referred to, new and useful means for securely holding the wires leading from the socket terminals within the body of the connector'without subjectingthem to damage such as by bruisr A further object of the invention is toprovide a new and useful'connector of the type referred,

having a positive locking action and rapid, easy connecting and disconnecting, within a'minim'um ofspace to suit the particular requirements of the aviation and-kindred industries.

Other objects and advantages of theinvention.

will be obvious and apparent'during the course of the following description.

ilnithe accompanying drawings,'forming'a part 2 of' this application, .there is illustrated one embodiment'of the present invention.

"Of. the drawings Figure 1 isan elevation, on an enlarged scale, and with the'le'ft half thereof with parts in sec- .tion, of a'new and-useful connector according to the. present invention;

Figure 2 is acomposite breakdown elevation showing all the, parts of the connector of Figure 1, with some parts in section, in relative position for assembly;

Figures '3 an'd lare details of the locking mechanism shownin the sectioned half of Figure 1, Figure 3 showing the locked position and Figure 4; showing .the unlockedposition;

Figurev 5 is an'elevation, on an enlarged scale,

of the connector body unlocking ring and nut bodyforming the socket-containing part of the connector'of Figure 1, in assembled position and ready to be attached to the pin header-containing .part of the connector;

Figure '6 is-a plan-view of the connector body of the connector of Figure. 1;

Figure 7 is a section of the connector body of Figure 6.on the lines 'l---! of Figure 6;

Figur'eB is a .plan view of the unlocking ring of theconnector of Figure 1;

Figure 9'is a section of the'unlocking ring of Figure 8 taken on the lines 99 of Figure 8;

:Figure 10 isabottom view of the cap of the connector of Figure 1 i and Figure 11 'is'a section of the cap of Figure 10 taken onthe lines-I ll l of- Figure 10.

=Generally,ain practicing this invention there is provided a-connector' having two essential parts,

i the one .carrying a conventional multi-socket unit andt the other :a' conventional multiepin header uni The'in'ulti-socket unit is mounted within a connector body which in turn carries an unlocking 'ringithereabouts. The2various wires are soldered or otherwise attached .to the'terminals communicating-Withthe socketsand are led through an :exit port inthis part'of the connector between resilient cushions formed by a washer of rubber or the like in thelow'er end of" the connector body and a shape'd plug of rubber or'the likelocated to be'within the area formed by the wires, a suitablescrew nut-and ferrule'forcing the washer and plugt'oward 'each'other to trap the wires therebetween and grip them firmly.

The ferrule may be so shaped, if desired, as to have an interior portion of complementary shape tothe e'n'd of'itheplug, so that the wires may also be gripped between the shaped part of the ferrule and a part of the plug.

At the end opposite the ferrule, the unlocking ring is formed with one or more legs with spaces or slots therebetween. The other part of the connector comprises a cap carrying the multi pin header unit, as well as the lid of a can or other container if the component to be connected to the pins is to be contained therein, for instance, for hermetically sealing-in the component. The cap is arranged with interiorly projecting spring elements or fingers which can be forced outwardly against their spring bias when desired.

To this end, the connector body carries at its end an annular flange of greater diameter than the body itself over which these spring elements can be sprung until they fall beneath the flange to hold the cap in place, each spring finger lying within one of said spaces or slots in the unlocking ring, there being preferably as many spring elements or fingers as slots provided in. the ring.

By rotating the unlocking ring on the connector body, the solid portions or legs force the spring fingers back beyond the flange, to permit disengagement of the cap and body.

Preferably, the unlocking ring is spring biassed with respect to the connector body so that these two parts will assume the same position at all times except when the ring is rotated for unlocking the device.

Suitable polarizing means are preferably provided, comprising a shaped notch in the cap and a cooperating lug on the connector body.

Thus, the connector according to the present invention comprises in its essential elements a body for housing a socket unit having a flange at one end, a cap for housing a cooperating pin unit, internal spring fingers on the cap which ca be sprung over the flange and beneath the shoulder formed thereby to lock the cap on the body simply and rapidly, and an unlocking ring rotatable on the body, having slotted sections in which the fingers can normally be located when in locked position and legs which act when the ring is rotated to cam the fingers against their spring bias out of the way of the flange, to permit a disengagement of the cap and the body in an easy and rapid manner.

Referring now especially to the accompanying drawings wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of the present invention, in Figures 1 and 2, a connector according to the present invention is shown incorporating a conventional multiple-pin terminal header 20 and a conventional multiple-socket unit 2| to be associated therewith in usual manner. The terminals 22 of header 20 are adapted to be connected as desired to any electrical component or unit which will normally be housed within a casing or box 23. Pins 24 of header 20 which communicate with terminals 22 depend downwardly and are adapted to enter sockets 25 of unit 2| when all the parts of the connector according to this invention are in the locked position, as in Figure 1.

It is obvious that any number of pins 24 and cooperating sockets 25 may be provided for any desired purpose of connecting a component in box 23 to an outside source of electrical energy Sockets 25 communicate with lugs 26 which are adapted to be connected wires 2-1, as by soldering as at 28.

Conventionally, fromsocket unit 2| there depends a centering pin 29, and in accordance with one feature of the present invention said pin is 4 caused to support a plug member 30 having a frustro-conical nose portion 3|, this nose 3| at least, being formed of a soft yielding material, such as rubber, the support being made possible by virtue of a blind bore 32 in that end of plug 30 away from said nose 3|.

As will be seen particularly from Figures 1 and 7, socket unit 2| may be housed within the interior of main connector body 33, being seated against shoulder 34 formed therewithin. A pin 35 protrudes through the body 33 and is held therein in any desired manner, the function of the protruding end being hereinafter brought out. The

head 35 of the pin acts as a polarizing means for orientating socket unit 2| in the interior of body 33 by cooperation with a cut-out 31 in a flange portion 38 of socket unit 2|. A spacer 39 formed as a hollow cylinder of suitable material such as a hard thermoplastic embraces socket unit 2| and extends into contact with the under face of flange 38 (Figure 1). Connector body 33 has an external lower screw-threaded section 40 with which may be engaged an interiorly threaded securing nut body 4| having a body portion 42, interior thread 43 and orifice 44, said body being knurled exteriorly as at 5| for greater grip thereupon.

A hollow ferrule 45 having an annular flange 43 is adapted to be carried by body portion 4'2 into contact with a resilient washer 41 formed of suitable resilient material such as soft rubber, said washer bearing against the lower end of spacer 39. Thus, by assembling the parts comprising connector body 33, socket unit 2|, plug 33, spacer 39, washer 47, ferrule 45 and nut body 4| into the positions shown in Figure 1, ferrule 45 will cause a plurality of the wires 21 surrounding the plug 38, and .preferably grouped toether in a sleeve 48 of any desired material, to be resiliently but firmly held by virtue of the yielding property of washer 41 and nose 3|. Washer 4'! will be distorted as at 49 to assist this grip if the diameter of the washer is made slightly oversize relative to the portion of the interior of body 33 in which it is seated, this being preferable according to the present invention. Furthermore, if desired, the grip upon the wires may be additionally enhanced by shaping the interior face of a portion at least of ferrule 45 to be complementary to and a mate of, the corresponding portion of the frustro-conical nose 3|, this shaped portion being shown at 50 in Figure 2.

Accordingly, one object of the present invention has been achieved by this structure by providing a positive grip on the plurality of wires within sleeve 4'8 which will not give Way under extreme conditions of pulling on the wires 21 and yet will not bruise or otherwise injure the wires, due to the resiliency of the washer 45 and nose 3|.

According to .a further feature of the present invention, there are provided means for quickly but positively connecting and disconnecting socket unit 2| and header 20. To this end, an unlocking ring is provided, formed as a hollow cylinder which may be placed over body 33 to surround same and be rotatably mounted thereon as shown in Figures 1 and 5. Ring 55 has a thick walled body portion 56 which is provided with an external knurled surface 51 to permit eas gripping. A thinner walled section 58 is integral with body portion 56 and is slotted as at 59, four slots being specifically and exemplarily shown, as in Figure 8, in the embodi- *men't being described. maining form legs-60 "and EXtGlldllpWQjld-IY as "shown in "Figure 2 substantially into contact with an annular flange -6l formed "on the upper face of' connector body 3'3. Legs fifl terminate in enac ous "The solid portions reinwardly "projecting feet "62 which "are "of such dimension that the diameter or a circle "genlarger than the external diameter of 'connector body 33 at the plane .of association. "Thereby,

the feet 62 act substantially "as "guides "for irota'tory movements-ofunlocking ring55 on connector body 33, the annular "space between the external face 'of the "connector'bodyand the interior face of the ring "being "still ,preserved in a'major portion of their respective "lengths. In this space a spring63 is inserted in order to assert a resilientaction betweenringEE and body 33. Spring'63'is attached at one 'endto pin 35' by a loop 64, which pin also"limits"rotary movement of the ring in either direction since .it projects into one of the slots 59 and contacts either one or the other of sides dfiAjfiiiB ofthe specific slot in which it'lies "(Figure"5). 'The other end of spring53 is'beritlback andhooked over the side of another slot as shown at v66. lihe contour of spring 63 is shown in "Figure 2 -in its relaxed position and partially in .dotted lines in iFigure 5 where it is shown in position on pin 3'5.and hooked over at .66, it being'born in mind that thelongitudinal plane through the spring elementwill be curved to suit the contour of the segment of the'surface of body 33 over which the spring lies. 'Thus,vin the assembled position shown in Figure 5, ring '55 has rotation counter-clockwisewon connector body '33 against action of spring63, which rotation is limited by contact of pin with the-right-hand face 65B and upon release of the turning action, the parts will return .to thevposition of Figure 5 .under urge ofspring 63 and contact ofpin 35 onthe-left hand face 65A.

It will be obvious from the description-hereinbefore given, a and particularly from Figures 5, v8 and 9, that any yielding object lying in the circulmferential plane of legs andllocatedin-any slot 59 in the position of the'parts in Figure 5 will be urged out of said plane by 'cam action when said'ringzeiis'rotated on'body 33 .byicontactof the sidesof the slot, andthis principle is relied upon in the present-invention. s'Iothis end, a cap 81 is provided (Figures 10 and 11) formedas a cylindrical member of an interior diameter large enough to normally fit snugly but slidingly over annular fiange fil on connector body 33. In"the wall-of .cap 61 are formed a plurality of inverted L-shapedrcut-outs-68,'thes'e being of number and spacingrapart equivalent to the slots '59 in ring 55. "The material formingcapfil is chosen of sufiicient resiliencythat when the shaped-portions or tongues 69 areupset inwardlythey'provide upsets or spring fingers ll! of suflicient resiliency that they will give erated by theinnerfaces'thereof 'is only slightly "in place. 'This is wclearly shown in Figure 1 and in the-detail of-Figure'S. T0 disconnect the connector, all-thatis necessary -to do is to-rot-a-te thering 55, -whenthe'legs will contact the spring fingers 1 0 urging them back again toward the initial position they'occupied in the circumferential *plane of the wallof i the' cap 'be- 'forebein'g 'forced out or upset in which positionthe "cap and body can obviously be disengaged.

This camming action is clearly 'shownin the detail o'fFigure. With the cap and' 'bo'dy disengaged, the springfis will return ring :55 and .body33 to initial position "as inFi'gure 5.

Within 'the cap "B'lthere isprefera'blyfitted a sealingwasherll of 's'o'fttrubber or like resilient "material andto further add to'the sealing "of "the interior :o'f the (body of the whole connector when in'lo'cked position, "the upper face of connector bodyBS carries 'an;annular"ridge"12 which deformsfthe rubber washer l l as "clearlyshown in'Figurerl.

"It ;is obvious that "it is necessary for the "cap and body to be engaged with the "four "spring fingers'loc'ated' within the four slots; an'd in'order rto make this "certain, as well as to ipolarize the sockets and pins ofth'e "connector, a polarizing lug "13 is formedas'part'of ilangefil anda cooperating polarizingslotld'isformed in the wall -or cap'tl.

Header 20 'is permanently associated with cap "'61 by" soldering a'flan'ge 75 on the headerand .anannular/protuberance "l6 on cap-6l to a lip "ill on 'ith'e lid TSWhi-ch 'fits'on'the case 23 0011- taining th "component, the-solder being flowed into theannularrecess 19' formedby thesethree parts (seeFigure "1) The assembly of the parts 'toform the complete connector is a simple matter as will be seen from Figure "2 "and, if 'desired, a retainer rin (not shown) "may be used to hold ring=55 1 and :connector "body 33 together during assembly rather 'than'relyupon spring '63 to perform'this "function.

In order "to further assist the camming action o'f'legsfifl,"theentering 'edgesof the legs relative to the'fingers l'limay be chamferred or otherwise shaped, as at 80, to give an entering wedge effect upon'the fingers,'whereby the operation of unlocking "will be "smoother with less wear on "thefingers.

It is obvious that instead-of forming spring "l'lngersflfl'as above shown, if desired,separate spring members equivalent toll! could be soldered or otherwisefastenedinside ring 55-50 as to be yieldingly protrudinginto the interior of the ring inposition to be cammed intosuitable cut-outs equivalent to cut-outs 68 when acted upon-by legs 60. Alternatively; no'cut-outs will be needed in such a construction'if'the cap 5 1 ismade of 'sufiiciently large internaldiameter'relative'to the diameter of flange-6 l to accommodate the spring "fingers 1 El .inthe space therebetween.

In the description hereinbefore given, reference "has been made to the engagement of the cap and body portions without qualifying which of these portions is forced into engagement with the other.

In the specific embodiment using a multi-pin header, the component will be placed incase 23 which will thereafter be hermetically sealed with It is obvious, however, that for other uses than the specified use given above, the cap could be the part of the connector to be forced upon the body assembly or both parts could be unanchored and pressed into locking engagement to form a multi-wire line connector.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention, herein shown and described, is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to, Without departin from the spirit of my invention, or the scope of the appended claims,

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. An electrical connector of the type referred to comprising in combination a body adapted to interiorly house a socket unit, said body having an annular flange at one end; a cap adapted to house interiorly a pin unit complementary to said socket unit, said cap being of interior diameter sufficiently larger than the diameter of said flange to loosely fit thereover; a plurality of resilient fingers projecting interiorly of said cap in such a position as to be pressed outwardly by said flange when said cap is forced into engagement with said body until said fingers can spring under the shoulder formed by said flange, to hold said cap in locked position on said body; an unlocking ring mounted for rotation on said body; and a plurality of legs projecting from said ring into the interior of said cap when in locked position with said fingers lying in the spaces formed between said legs, said legs lying in such a diameter relative to the diameter of said flange that upon rotation of said ring on said body, said fingers will be cammed outwardly against their resiliency to a position to permit them to clear said flange and allow disconnection of said cap and said body.

2. An electrical connector of the type referred to comprising in combination a cylindrical body having an annular flange at one end forming a shoulder therebeneath, and a threaded sectiomat the other end; a multi-socket unit housed within said body; a cylindrical cap of internal diameter larger than the external diameter of said flange; a multi-pin unit complementary to said multisocket unit housed within said cap; a plurality of resilient fingers within said cap, projecting inwardly into the normal path of entry of said flange within said cap and displaceable outwardly by said flange and beyond said path of entry by action of pressing said cap and said body into contact whereafter said fingers spring into locking position beneath said shoulder formed by said flange; a plurality of legs on one end of said ring formed by slotting the ring at that end, the number of slots so formed equalling the number of fingers interiorly of said cap, said legs projecting into said cap when the connector is in locked position with said fingers lying within the slots and circumferentially embraced b the sides of said legs; resilient means comprising a spring attached between said body and said ring for applying a sprin return to rotatory movements of said ring on said body in one direction; a pin projecting outwardly from said body and arranged to lie within one of said slots to act as a limit of such rotatory movements by abutting against one or the other side of the slot in which it lies, said pin also serving to anchor one end of said spring to said body, the other end being attached to said ring by bending a portion of the spring over a side of another slot, the spring being then carried in a space between the exterior of the body and the interior of the ring; and a nut having an interior thread complementary to the thread on said body; whereby the cap and body may be readily disconnected by rotating the ring on the body to cause the legs to cam the fingers beyond the flange and readily connected by pressing said cap and bod into contact with said cap over said flange.

3. An electrical connector of the type referred to comprising in combination a cylindrical body having an annular flang at one end forming a shoulder therebeneath, and a threaded section at the other end; a multi-socket unit housed within said body; a cylindrical cap of internal diameter larger than the external diameter of said flange; a multi-pin unit complementary to said multisocket unit housed within said cap; a plurality of resilient fingers within said cap, projecting inwardly into the normal path of entry of said flange within said cap and displaceable outwardly by said flange and beyond said path of entry by action of pressing said body into said cap whereafter said fingers spring into locking position beneath said shoulder formed by said flange; a cylindrical unlocking ring surrounding said body; a plurality of legs on one end of said ring formed by slotting the ring at that end, said legs projecting into said cap when the connector is in locked position with said fingers lying within the slots and circumferentially embraced by the sides of said legs; resilient means for applying a spring return to rotatory movements of said ring on said body in one direction; a pin projecting outwardly from said body and arranged to lie within one of said slots to act as a limit of such rotatory movements by abutting against one or the other side of the slot in which it lies; and a nut having an interior thread complementary to the thread on said body; whereby the cap and body may be readily disconnected by rotating the ring on the body to cause the legs to cam the fingers beyond the flange.

JAMES S. HELLEN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

